249 replies to this topic

[JRPomazon]

OK, so I rediscovered that I made this picture the other day:

[DarkJuno]

All right, so while I know I said before I'd never bother with something so trite and boring, I have actually been messing with EV training over the alst couple months since I started playing Pearl again. I have a question though - typically, are you supposed to use those extra EV's to buff up a Pokemon's already strong stats (say, Charizard's Attack and Special Attack) or use it to cover its weaknessess? I mean, I suppose it's a matter of personal choice, but I figured I'd ask people who've been at this for awhile their opinions on the subject.

And no, other then my veritable ranch of Ditto's for different personalities, I'm not bothering with IV's.

[Green Goblin]

Normally, for a sweeper like Charizard you want to focus on an offensive stat and speed. So either ATT & Speed or Sp. Att and speed.
The remaining 4 points, you just put into what you want. Normally, a person puts it into HP.

[Veteran]

EVs tend to reflect what you want a particular pokemon to do.

For example.

My Crobat is an annoyer lead. His speed is his greatest asset so that needs 252 EVs. I need him to stay around for as long as possible so he has 252 EVs in HP also. Final 4 EVs in attack. I then found that him having a secondary attack was more important so I shifted some EVs out of HP and put them in attack.

Most pokemon have obvious strategies. Gyarados needs max Att and Speed, Blissey max HP and Sp.D etc.

[JRPomazon]

So I got my ass handed to me by the combined efforts of a Froslass and Mamoswine. It was so very painful.

[Showsni]

. . . Someone's gonna have to explain effort values to me, I think. I'm not even close to being in a position to battle, just defeated Galactic and Dialgia, (?) but I would like to know where to go from here.

You've probably come across a trainer or sign that tells you a trainer owned pokémon is stronger than a wild one of the same level; the reason is effort values, or EVs. Whenever your Pokémon wins a battle (so long as it gets some exp) it gets EVs based on what pokémon it was battling. Defeating a speedy pokémon like Starly will give speed EVs; defeating a strong attacker like Shinx will give attack EVs; and so on. These translate into points in the appropriate stat; at level 100 4 Effort Value points translate into 1 point in the stat. There's a limit of 255 EV points in each stat, and 510 points overall. Since 255 isn't divisible by 4 those last 3 points would be wasted, so people usually use 252.

To get EVs, first you need to clear out any existing ones or use a fresh Pokémon. The happiness inducing berries will lower the EVs, one kind of berry for each stat; though I forget which... First, you want to use vitamins. Each vitamin increases the EV by 10 points. They are HP-Up, Protein, Iron, Calcium, Zinc and Carbos, if I recall; they'll tell you which stat they buff. There's a limit to using just ten vitamins in any one stat, though. Then, it's best to use the Power Items, which are for sale in the Battle Frontier after defeating the Elite Four. Each Power Item gives +4 EVs to its respective stat. Also, you need to get your Pokémon infected with Pokérus; that doubles the EVs it receives. Then a Pokémon with Pokérus and the correct Power Item will get 10 EVs for winning one battle. The Macho Brace also doubles teh EVs received; so a Pokémon with Pokérus and the brace gets 4 EVs, and one with just Pokérus gets 2. Thus you can fight the exact number of Pokémon to get the final EVs you want.

So, if I want my Lucario to have 252 Speed EVs: first, feed him 10 Carbos. (100 Speed EVS)
Now, infect him with Pokérus. (I was lucky that the very first wild Pokémon I caught had it; if you need it, I'm sure most people here will trade you something with it.)
Attach the Power Anklet; defeast 10 wild Magikarp. (250 Speed EV.)
Remove the Anklet; fight one more Magikarp. (252 Speed EVs)

I use Bidoof for HP, Shinx for Attack, Geodude/Onix for Defence, Gastly for Sp. Att, Tentacool for Sp. Def and Magikarp for Speed.

Make sure your Pokémon has a good nature before you start all this; it's not worth EV training something for Speed if its nature makes it naturally slow, for instance. And you really need the Power Items to save a lot of time, so don't bother starting until you've got them.

[Green Goblin]

If you're going for a speedy physical attacker, the best place I find is right below Solaceon town. Starlies (+1 Speed), Staravias (+2 speed) and Bibarels (+2 Attack).

[Veteran]

My training spots:

Speed: Enter Victory Road from the League side and go downstairs and start surfing. Nothing but Golbats (+2).

Attack: Super Rod in Twinleaf Town. Nothing but Gyarados and Seaking (both +2).

Special Attack: Old Chateau. Nothing but Gastly (+1), sometimes Haunter (+2) and Gengar (+3) if a GBA is in the slot.

Defense: Ruin Maniac Tunnel. Nothing but Geodude and Hippopotas (both +1).

HP: Surf Route 212. Nothing but Wooper (+1) and Quagsire (+2). Not applicable in Platinum.

Special Defense: Surf Route 223. Mantyke (+1) and Tentacruel (+2), but also Pelipper (+2 Defense) which can be annoying.

[JRPomazon]

So. when EV training it's better to accommodate to the Pokemon's nature rather than working on something it already lacks in naturally?

[Veteran]

Rather you ought to breed a pokemon with the preferred nature and raise it accordingly.

252 EV in a negative nature stat = 57 stat points at level 100
252 EV in a neutral nature stat = 63
252 EV in a positive nature stat = 69.

[Green Goblin]

So. when EV training it's better to accommodate to the Pokemon's nature rather than working on something it already lacks in naturally?

Play to your strengths. Otherwise, it just comes off as being sort've middle-of-the-road.

[Steel Samurai]

Thanks for the explanation and advice guys, I will get on that shiz.

[Chukchi Husky]

I guess I wasted my entire game by the sound of it.

[Sir Deimos]

If you had fun in your game I wouldn't say that. EV's are just real hardcore. It's rather tough for me to grind that much in any game...

[Veteran]

I guess I wasted my entire game by the sound of it.

As long as your pokemon aren't at level 100, EVs aren't permanent.

Like how vitamins add EVs, certain berries take away EVs.

Pomeg - HP
Kelpsey - Attack
Qualot - Defense
Hondew - Special Attack
Grepa - Special Defense
Tamato - Speed

If you have 101 to 255 EVs in a stat, the first berry will reduce the EVs down to 100. Then each following berry will reduce by 10. Therefore you need to use 11 berries in one stat to be sure of clearing all the EVs in that stat.

So if you've gone through the game with an Infernape and want to make it competitive, you'll have to grow some berries and clear all its stats of EVs before you start training.

[Showsni]

But it's probably easier just to breed a new one, as then you can go for a good nature and IVs too. I'm obsessive enough that I try and get one or two perfect IVs before I start the EV training!

[Veteran]

GG and I aren't really planning on introducing IV breeding, mainly because we don't bother ourselves. Sure, I'm always curious what my IVs are, but I won't grind-breed for fantastic ones.

My method is a hatch eggs until I've got the gender/nature/ability I want, check the IVs of the litter, pick the best one and euthanise the rest.

[Green Goblin]

GG and I aren't really planning on introducing IV breeding, mainly because we don't bother ourselves. Sure, I'm always curious what my IVs are, but I won't grind-breed for fantastic ones.

My method is a hatch eggs until I've got the gender/nature/ability I want, check the IVs of the litter, pick the best one and euthanise the rest.

Pretty much the same with me.

[Steel Samurai]

. . . IVs? Breeding? *dies*

[Veteran]

XD For the curious:

IVs are what make pokemon of the same species completely different from one another. If you catch two level 2 Bidoofs they will have different stats at level 100.

Each stat has an 'Individual Value' of between 0 and 31. If it's the latter then the pokemon will have 31 extra stat points at level 100.

Breeding for perfect IVs is incredibly time-consuming, though it'll become slightly easier once HeartGold and SoulSilver are released. In those games the Power items can be held by the female parent or Ditto to pass on the IV of the corresponding Power item.

[Moriatti]

I'd like to run the gym challenge, and, heck, if possible start up an optional gym myself! How would I go about doing such a thing?


EDIT: Of course types I'd be willing to limit too if I became a Gym Leader are: Flying, Rock, Fighting or Bug.

Edited by Moriatti, 21 January 2010 - 05:50 PM.

[Green Goblin]

Take on Me and Vet's teams, come out victorious. Maybe try and beat the current champion (I suppose that'd be Showsni) and of course, take on our NORMAL teams as well.

Also, it helps to sort've get yourself known around here too.

PM who you wanna challenge

[JRPomazon]

I'm surprised Snowshi himself hasn't been nominated as a Gym Leader. After all, he beat both GG and Vet.

[Steel Samurai]

He's the Elite One

[Green Goblin]

You fight well, Moriatti. In the old style.

You've still got a bit more to learn. Contact me when your team is out of the burn ward, so we can have a rematch.

Edited by Green Goblin, 21 January 2010 - 10:19 PM.

[Ikiosho]

So, GG. What are your Pokeman's non-online levels?

You'll have a fun time once I'm done training my water team.

[Green Goblin]

non-online? 100, of course

[Ikiosho]

Ha.
Looks like I have a lot more training to do than I originally planned.
*squinty eye glare*

[Moriatti]

Just get all your EVs, the computer auto-levels you to 100 for WiFi battles.

[Showsni]

Take on Me and Vet's teams, come out victorious. Maybe try and beat the current champion (I suppose that'd be Showsni) and of course, take on our NORMAL teams as well.

You are now the POKEMON LEAGUE champion! ...Or, you would have been, but you have one more challenge ahead. You have to face another trainer! His name is...SHOWSNI! He beat the ELITE FOUR before you! He is the real POKEMON LEAGUE champion!

Yeah! Wait, maybe not.

Did you know you can abuse the RNG to get Pokémon with good IVs? Maybe I'll put myself forward to try and become a gym leader once I've trained up a mono type team.